New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-24
RHODE ISLAND POLITICS.
THE REAL ISSUES OF A HOT CAMPAIGN.

critics IN OPPOSITION.
| [FRoa A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE ThibusE.I
PROVIDENCE, r. l., March 23.-Rhode Island ID
now in the throes Of the ost exciting State campaign
since the famous Sprague Padelfori struggle in 1850
With a united and confident enemy fighting in 'front.'
and reacherous contng gent theii own party assa-
inc them in the rear the Republicans realize that they
need to fight vaantly and well in order to win the
battle Under ordinary circumstances gwen 80 iair
cause and such excellent candidates, the hepuDncans
woud scout even afuggesti0n OF deieat. put 'he
circums tances extraordinary roh the TACT tat VI
the four daily newspapers puosnsa t Tha TeIe
gram is an avowedly Democratic newspaper. Inc
Dispatch" which has only small circulation claims
TO be independent bat Is Democratic this time Inc
Morning Journal" and Evening Bulletin are both
issued IRON tho Journal office. They are old es-
tablished and widely read newspapers when con-
troed by the late Senator Anthony they we're power
In the community led public opinion and even Dictated
nominations But old things have passed away, and
for the last two years The journal " has been
kickerv From the nomination of Blaine for president in
1884 down to thu nomination of Wetmore for Governor
in 1887, that papers criticism has grown sharper ana
sourer Men prominent in Republican councils III this
State have been disc lssed with pen dipped IN gall
and the they have advocated have been dis
missed with "A sneer. lis columns have teemeG win
allusiors 10 "rottenness' corruption" deals ad
infnitum. ad nauseam. 1t did all that lay IN its
power to the recent defeat OF Major Prce Tor
Congress- without actively espousing the cause OF his
opponent The testimonial of confidence in Major
Prce signed by all the Republican nembers CT the
XLlXth Congress, was refu'e place IN us columns
4
cry OF indignant Republicans That prayer has ut art
been answered tor "The journal" has crossed the
Rubicon md openly opposes the election OF the kepup-
lcau ticket Day by day its readers are treated 20
theses the righteousness OF bong Inc gst OF the
argument Is that the true TREND OF the
it TOR alleged sins of omission and commission some
how the Republicans wont accent this curious logic.
They have decided The Journal in many things. but
they Will not follow i. into the enemy's camp.
| The question may well ne asked, What is all this
hue AMI cry aboutl What grave misdemeanors, has
| Al .1.oap Il nitis
what particulars are gentlemen the present State
ticket any than they were last year or the year
before Why should any Republican refuse to vote
for them2" will try to summarize briefly the events
that have led up to the present crisis.
For wears there has been a system OF minor tribunals
in Rhode Island called justice courts Each town ana
city had its trial Justice. Those in the cities ana large
towns elected By the Legislature; those In the
untrv places we're chosen yearly by the town coun
ellis Justice was dispensed in these rural courts with
some regard Tor common sense but little Tor law
ledge OF Coke and Blackstone was not considered
o necessary qualification OF the magistrate. Inese
crude courts felt to be behind the times lbree
or four wears ago Lawrence P,endergast twbo mas
since dedl, Democratic member OF the Legislature
from Burryille first preached the idea of reducing
the number OF courts and increasing their eiilcIency
The matter has been often discussed among
and LAWYERS since then. In the winter OF 1886 the
Judiciary Committee OF the House reported bill pro
vdng for system OF district courts similar to that
which works so we'll in Massachusetts This bill was
passed by the House. but The Senate the matter was
referred a joint special committee. who were not
able TO report at that session. In inc spring ioowlg
tuition with all its suggestions OF future increase OF
court work. 1t has been marked feature OF Rhode
Island legislation from the beginning that the January
session OF the General Assembly is spent IN discussion
and the brief May session AT Newport has been notable
for action. When the legislators met last May they
found themselves charged by an express mandate OF
the Constitution to enact laws 10 carry prohibition
into effect The District Court bill vas reported by
the Joint special committee TO whom II had been re-
ferred The bill in question formulated when no
supposed it possible that prohibition would become
part OF the fundamental law. WIN POSITIVE
Il. chat ho fa
dened with rum cases. calling Tor more than ordinary
legal acumen and knowledge the bench, the reicrm
in the system OF courts naturally went hand in hand
with the enactment of "a prohibitory law.
Tn, cry in some quarters for delay IN passing
a prohbitory law the reason suggested 1eins iacn
noticeable fact that the plea Tor Decay ca'"c chieny
from those who were and always had been opposed TO
prohibition. The Constitution said "the General
Assembly shall pass laws TO carry il the amendment
into effect" and the Legislature obeycd As they were
in duty bound TO do. hay always understood and
nowhere have seen il denied that the socaed Free
man law framed by committee oil the Rhode
Island Temperance Union, consisting OF Attorney
General Metcalf, tie Hon. Henry Il. Metcali and the
Rev. II. w. Conant. agent OF that society. lhs law
vas chiefly compilation OF the liqnor IA" already on
the statutes, with license ext unged; The most IN
poriant feature, and that which has caused most
OF the political hubbub, was provision for electiug
chief OF State ponce whose duty was to see that other
officers did their duty 49,
The law wac passed and General Charles X. Brayton
was elected Office under IT. General Brayton. after
a long and successful administration ~ postmaster oil
settle his accounts am COZ Id not. There Was short
age which made good b. his bondsmen The
Providence Journal at that time oontro led by Sen
ator Anthony. his chei apoogs. For years after
he was welcome visitor at the political conclaves held
in that Office But under the present management al
hood-paes OF nyective raised, ahu the Lcgirla
ture was criticised and abused day after day Tor elect
uL to Office a who had full, expiated HIS fault,
had lived an exemplary lite since, and whose chief
crime seemed to be that he the abest man III the
State to conduct IS political cainprien. ne Drtnct
Court bill was also passed Inder Tue Ola Jaw rom
81. hars az he
elected trial justices, and trial justices had been
elected the Legislature, with remonsirance ON tho
part OF anybody. Several lawyer, who we're members
of the Legislature. who were nanIiesliy competent,
were amo.g the newly elected judges. The majority
of these held similar Offices under the old law Then
the Democratic Mrgwnmp press did rage indeed,
and have not vet ceased their dennncations OF what
they stvle the May DEAL From that time to the
present the Republican party III THO State has been
abused without stint and Tor lack OF adequate news
paper representation has often not been able to reply
thu giving color to the allie CATION that their course
admitted OF DO defence.
. But what has all this to do with Governor Wet
more =" ma, be asked. The reply would be nothing.
Whatever the legislators have done Tor good or e'il
they are responsible to their constituencies " no vii,
harry fail 10 approve the right and reprove the wrong
Governor Wetmore was not III the slightest degree re-
sponsble for OF tner acts "a he has VITO powei
and the effort to hold him Responsible Will fall as
conn lctely as it deserves TO iaii.
Another cry raised against the Governor, but chiefly
in out andOut Democratic quarters, Is that he Is
WORKER, AMI has bought the GovernorrhIp OF
Rhode Island. This is as absurd as 1t il untrue.
nile true that he hdu the 10
rich and has interests in NewYork that have at times
demanded his presence there his home has al ways
been in Newport in this state where his father lived
before IN. He not unknown to the people OF
Rhode Island when he first tor Governor two years
ago. In 1850 and again in 1884 he headed the vic
torious Republican electoral ticket. Governor Wet
mores terms have been marked by great industry
on his part. He has not been absentee Governor.
He has fulfilled the narrow circle OF his duties to the
letter. faithfully and we'll His public utter and
private walk have been crcumspect He has in all
particulars honored the ohce ana the state AS an
evidence OF his growth in popularity it may be cited
that his vote Increased two thousand lat over the
year before, Notwithstanding the fact that be ran
against Amasa Sprague whose alone attrac. GO
many Republican vote, cast out OF sympathy Tor the
once great family. Even The Journal can say moth
ing against Mr.. Wetmore except that he represents
- an INSCRIPTIONS cahal," is the creature OF the
ring" and much that effect. This of course is
nonsense There il a pnnd narfV ORGAN ZafiOn bnt